180 CANVASES / INSTALLATION

2014

180 Canvases is a site specific installation designed to fill the space of a small gallery in a Hutong of Beijing. We played with the original concept of the space, a shop-like show window facing the hutong lane, inserting an element of surprise to catch attention of passing-by viewers. The contrast of a colorful Wunderkammer featuring 180 canvases painted by hand strikes with the grey color of surrounding walls, bringing some reminder to local tradition of Chinese colorful paper cutting and the common habit of people to hang up wires on which they put clothes to dry on the public lanes.
180 fabric canvas, acrylic colours, metal wire, staples.
Marcella Campa and Stefano Avesani
“180个画面”是一组艺术装置，曾被展示在箭厂胡同里的一个小画廊。五彩缤纷还被类镜面反射的画面组成一个奇幻的矩阵，就像是通往异世界的奇幻入口空间造型。作品灵感来源于中国传统丰富多彩的剪纸和人们晾衣服的钢丝。

180 Canvases is a site specific installation designed by Marcella Campa and Stefano Avesani to fill the space of Arrow Factory gallery in JianChang Hutong, Beijing. Arrow Factory is a 15 m² independently run alternative art space founded by artists Rania Ho and Wang Wei, which occupies a former vegetable stand and which is now hosting exhibitions on a monthly base. We played with the original concept of the space, a shop-like show window facing the hutong lane, inserting an element of surprise to catch attention of passing-by viewers. The contrast of a colourful Wunderkammer featuring 180 canvases painted by hand strikes with the grey colour of surrounding walls, bringing some reminder to local tradition of chinese colourful paper cutting and the common habit of people to hang up wires on which they put clothes to dry on the public lanes. On the other hand, the installation will continue the research project called Theory of Moments, on investigating and reshaping the not defined, abandoned or under-used spaces in downtown Beijing.

( www.instanthutong.com )

“180 Canvases injects a vibrant color spectrum into the hutong environment. Bold graphics and found materials are integrated into these previously private now exposed public spaces” (RANIA HO, curator at Arrow Factory).